


while the sky is falling

by Medie



Category: Superman Returns
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-22
Updated: 2010-02-22
Packaged: 2017-10-07 11:36:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/64801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medie/pseuds/Medie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's still working on him when they lift them into the ambulance, the Kryptonite in his body burning her skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	while the sky is falling

**Author's Note:**

> very AU. yes, I am completely ignoring the Supergirl movie and mishmashing Kara's canon. I do that. It is me. But I had the idea for this watching Superman Returns today and, [](http://havocthecat.livejournal.com/profile)[**havocthecat**](http://havocthecat.livejournal.com/) did not discourage me. (Enabler! *points*) title from the Sarah McLachlan song "World on Fire"

_I watch the heavens but I find no calling  
Something I can do to change what's coming  
Stay close to me while the sky's falling  
I don't wanna be left alone don't wanna be alone_

The day Superman falls out of the sky, she stops pretending.

*

Kara reaches Metropolis before he hits the ground, screams "Back off, I'm nurse!" and barrels through the gawkers to fall to her knees at her cousin's side. She remembers the images of her uncle from the ship and sees reflections of him in the man before her. Five years ago she was afraid and missed her chance, she's not going to do that this time.

He's the only family she has left in the universe, she's not losing him.

There's no pulse, she scowls and starts compressions as she mutters, "Oh no you don't _Kal-El_, you're not leaving me now, not again."

She's still working on him when they lift them into the ambulance, the Kryptonite in his body burning her skin. The paramedics think the gray pallor of her face is exhaustion, she lets them.

*

She grew up in Bludhaven and works there still, she's not used to a city like this. Everything in Metropolis gleams like new and the hospital is massive, brightly lit. It's a far cry from Mercy General with it's flickering lights and intermittent power outages. She ignores the twinge of envy and reminds herself this isn't the time.

He's still not breathing and she's scared. She tells herself not to be, she knows the abilities of her own body and its lack of limitations. She knows it's the same for him but she can't stop the fear.

"Should've gotten him here faster," she mumbles to no one in particular.

"We did the best we could," the paramedic at her side laments.

He doesn't hear her whisper, "You did, maybe," when she hugs herself and turns away. She could have gotten him here in seconds, crowd be damned.

Kara puts her hands to her ears, cringing at the silence lurking beneath the heart monitor's alarm.

*

He gets a private room and a guard outside the door. Nobody thought to put one on the window. She settles noiselessly to the linoleum floor just inside and there she stays.

"Funny," she chokes out, "you're the only family I've got in the world and I -- " She swallows hard. "Look, you're a complete stranger and I don't know how to do this." She laughs a little, feels hysteria on its edge. "I don't _know you_ but..."

She sits in a chair, pushes her hands into her hair and stares at the floor. "God, this is typical. I mean, you show up and do the hero thing and I'm thinking "oh my god, I'm not the only one...there's _you_ and you're all...." she throws a hand out, waving expansively at the suit waiting nearby. "You're all heroic and..." She laughs. "Can I say? _spandex_?!"

With a shake of her head, she gets up. "I'm from Bludhaven, by the way. Not exactly Metropolis but Mom and I got by. I'm a nurse and, oh god, I didn't even tell you my _name_!"

She ventures closer to the bed, risks touching his hand. His hand is cool beneath hers and she grips it tightly. "I'm Kara. Kara Danvers. I wanted to come before, but well you up and disappeared on me, you jerk!"

Oh, that was bad. She closes her eyes. Her cousin's fighting for his life and she chooses to call him... "Sorry."

She takes his silence (okay, his complete and utter non-responsiveness) as forgiveness. "Five years of angst, I guess I'm a little on edge." He still says nothing and she looks toward the door. The nurse will be coming on rounds soon, she can't stay.

"I'm sorry it took me this long to come," she says softly, looking down at him again. "Don't die on me, okay? It's terribly unheroic and, besides, you already disappeared on me once. Twice would be very unfair of you."

She's at the window before it occurs to her and she looks back.

"I tried to help when you were gone...I'm not _you_, I know, but I tried." She grins just a little. "But I didn't wear the spandex."

Looking at him, silent and still, her smile fades.

"_Please_ don't die."

*

When Lois walks into the room, the curtain's moving with the breeze.


End file.
